Sometime after the events of SFIV, Sakura was given the chance to host her own talk show. The higher ups in the company that runs the Street Fighter tournaments, known as Capcom, believed the show could bring in more publicity for their future tourneys.
Sakura took the opportunity right away, and has since battled with her team on the subject of what to call the program; at one point it was called "The Tonight Show with Sakura", "The Sakura Hours", and "Sakura Blossip". Unable to decide, she simply settled on "The Sakura Show".
On The Sakura Show, the hostess will take questions from people who send them in, those who ask them in the audience, and the people that talk in the real time chat during the live feed. The questions can be directed to not only the guest, but to Sakura herself.
Sakura will make statements personally and ask questions on things her team has found on many forums, must notably the SRK forums, where various comments were made and continuously discussed on the balancing aspects of the guests that appear on the show, made by players of all caliber levels, most of which happen to understand the character to a great extent.
What Sakura is about to learn is that when you take a mass of people from the SF universe and invite them to your talk show for interviews, you'll see that when you take them away from the Hadoukens, the Ultras, the Shoryukens and the double forward roundhouse Sagat kicks, you'll see the sides of these warriors you've never seen. You'll see how these combatants act in an environment where shit gets real.
You won't find these famed fighters acting anymore real or more raw than right here on the Sakura Show. So sit back, relax, and hold onto your TE sticks, or your SE's or your Hori's, because the Sakura Show begins now.
*~Sakura Petals studios*~ 10:00PM:
: The Sakura Show: Special 3 hour broadcast:
Announcer: (the guy that announced in SFIV) Ladies and gentlemen, all you noobs and pros alike, please welcome your pretty young hostess, Miss Sakura Kasuganoooooo!!
Sakura precedes to walk out on the set, waving cheerfully as the band consisting of some of her old high school pals, Hinata(bass), Natsu(Saxophone), Kei(Drums), Kyosuke(keyboard), and Batsu(guitar), play the theme of Precious Heart, one of Sakura's themes, and the main theme for the show.
The crowd cheers wildly (without even being instructed to do so) as Sakura spins around on the stage as she makes her way towards her desk and big spinny chair, showing off her outfit as she spun. It was her usual sailor school uniform, except it was navy blue, and her gloves were white instead of red, as were her chucks (a.k.a her 7teens). As she spun, her skirt lifted up a bit, giving those watching a quick peek at her white panties. (You were holding those TE sticks weren't you?). An odd site to all those watching and that had been watching for awhile, Sakura had apparently let her hair grow out just a little and re-styled it (think Makoto from SFIII: 3rd Strike).
Making her way around the desk, she jumps into the chair and begins to spin around in it a couple of times, getting some laughter from the crowd while they watch her child-like behavior for a moment before she finally stops, abruptly, slapping both hands on the desk, which silences the crowd entirely. She was ready to get on with the show. She gives a short smile, as if to reassure her audience, before she begins to do her job.
Sakura: Alright, we're ready to welcome our first guest! Let's give a warm Sakura Show welcome to The King Of Muay Thai Sagat!!
The audience claps and cheers as Sagat enters onto the set. Curiously, he's dressed quite snappily, sporting a blue tuxedo with gold-lined pockets and black suede shoes, though even dressed as such, he couldn't seem to bring himself to part with his trademark fist tape.
He approaches the hosting desk Sakura is seated behind. With a nod of his head, he reaches over to extend his hand, which she accepts, the two of them shaking hands momentarily. Sagat's expression does not change from his stoic one, though, even as he moves to take a seat next to the hosting desk, his gaze going towards the young hostess.
Sakura: Welcome, Sagat, to the Sakura Show. (She flashes him a smile as she says this, taking the cards on her desk in hand and gently tapping them on the surface of the desk idly.)
Sagat: Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. (He again nods, though this time, it's accompanied by the slightest of smiles.)
Sakura: So, let's get down to business, shall we? Assuming you've seen how this works, you should know that we ask some pretty difficult questions here at times. Here's hoping you don't take anything personally. (She has a nervous grin on her face as she says this, shifting noticeably in her seat for a moment.)
Sagat: Go right ahead.
Sakura clears her throat and nods, taking a moment to read from one of the cards she's holding.
Sakura: Alright, then. Sagat, why is it that your forward roundhouse kick is so deadly? I've heard tales of how your kicks are powerful enough to down G-force jets, or that you can cause excruciating pain to, if not incapacitate, a giraffe with one solid kick. Is there any reason your kicks are so effective, and is there any truth to the rumors of you destroying aircraft and harming wildlife?
Sagat: (With a slight smirk forming across his features) Well, they call me the King for a reason. (With this, he looks directly at the camera, the cameraperson zooming in on his mug as he speaks) As far as the claims of harming wildlife go, I assure you, no wildlife was harmed in the making of this Muay Thai god.
At this, his grin darkened noticeably as he went on.
Sagat: No, those poor giraffe died far too quickly to feel any pain.
Along with a few murmurs from the crowd, Sakura's unease could be seen for but a moment.
Sakura: Hm...I see...well, going on, then...
She taps her cards on the desk, taking a moment to read from the next one.
Sakura: Why is it, Mr. Sagat, that you seem to have some of the best juggling potential in Street Fighter IV, being able to link not one, but two of your forward roundhouse kicks, follow it up with an EX Tiger Shot and still connect full on with your Ultra, even though you quite obviously have some of the highest damage output in the game? You don't think that tips things in your favor unfairly compared to the other fighters doing their best with what they have?
At this, Sagat merely shakes his head, a confident chuckle escaping him.
Sagat: Look, Sakura, I just work with what I'm given. If everyone else, be they the other combatants (at this, he sends a glare towards the audience, some of which consist of fellow tournament participants, before shifting his gaze towards the camera) or the players themselves have a problem with it, they can either take it up with the people that have given me what I have, or...(at this point, he cracks his knuckles, his low, but booming laugh audible enough for them to hear) they can take it up with me.
Laughing nervously for a moment, Sakura ruffles her own hair for a moment, somewhat taken aback by Sagat's ferocity creeping in, but she quickly reocvers her composure, filing through her cards to read the next question. As she reads, her nose scrunches up in disgust as she sees that she's not reading her next question for him, but a card that has Sagat's BnBs (Bread and Butter moves/combos) written on it.
Sakura (murmuring quietly to herself, her eyes bugging every now and then in reaction to what she's reading): Damn...honestly...?
At this point, she spares a glance at Sagat before reading a bit more.
Sakura: You can't possibly be serious...
Sagat (raising an eyebrow): Is there something wrong?
With a shake of her head, Sakura waves away his inquiry, hoping that it'd assure him that nothing is wrong as she files to the next card.
Sakura: So, Sagat, I just have to ask you. How DOES it make you feel to know that the majority of the people here have their troubles dealing with you when all you DECIDE to utilize are your standing and forward roundhouse and your Tiger Shots?
Sagat (bringing a hand up to rub his chin thoughtfully for a moment): Well, Sakura, in all honesty, the easier a win is for me, the easier it should be for them to realize just how futile it was for them to have trifled with the King in the first place. If all I need are those tools, who are we to say that I am being dishonorable in some way? Shouldn't it be their jobs as fighters to find ways around roadblocks they encounter when fighting an opponent?
Sakura nods her head at this, finding that she can't help but agree to a point, albeit begrudgingly, but she continues.
Sakura: This is true, however, these tools aren't the only ones that you have at your disposal to keep an opponent at bay at will. Your Tiger Uppercut and Tiger Knee not only work just as well, if not better in some cases, but they serve to set up your opponents for things that do abnormal amounts of damage because, and let's face facts here, you're you. Bullshitting seems to run in your blood, am I right?
Sagat merely shrugs his shoulders at this, closing his eyes, a smug expression written on his face as the camera zooms in to try to read him, which elicits a bit of a laugh out of him, and in turn, out of the audience. The hostess herself can't help but giggle as well, a bit of her initial unease that had set in earlier leaving her as she decided to just move on to her next question.
Sakura: But seriously, "Your Majesty", there are many other factors to consider, wouldn't you think? Your focus attack has deceptively good range and on top of that, you can chain, link and combo into several different moves fairly easily, especially when compared to some of your adversaries.
Sagat looks truly confused at this, his head tilting to the side momentarily.
Sagat: Chain? Link? Combo? I don't have any idea what you're referring to, Miss Sakura. My entire strategy is to hit my opponents until they can't hit back. If they can't take it, then they're obviously in the wrong profession.
Sakura: Well...(She begins to speak, straightening out the cards she's holding as she pulls one up to read)...if this is any indication, it seems that your strategy is definitely an effective one, seeing as you're capable of comboing an opponent for a staggering amount of damage by hitting them with a jumping fierce punch, following up with a standing medium punch into a Tiger Uppercut, which you can then outright cancel after knocking an adversary skyward with a Focus Attack Dash Cancel into a forward roundhouse kick, and finally finish with an Ultra. Very few characters can barely even *dream* of doing the damage that you can with such a string of moves.
Giving a bit of an irritated frown now, Sagat scans the audience for a moment before turning to Sakura, the cameraperson hurriedly focusing in on him as he began to spoke.
Sagat: On the contrary, there is one warrior that seems to be nearly as efficient as I am when it comes to doing the feats you mentioned. Not damage-wise, no, but as far as what he can and cannot do to those foolish enough to approach him in the wrong manner, he is second only to me. However, everyone has a lucky day.
With this, he turns towards the camera, looking directly into it.
Sagat: It is rather fitting that he is the only one to defeat me. And, just as I thought, he is not here. It isn't surprising, as much as he wanders around. (His face turns serious as he goes on) Ryu, wherever you are, the King of Muay Thai awaits your next challenge.
His menacing, serious look is replaced with a simple, yet intense stare, as though he was trying to convey his fighting spirit through his words and actions alone.
**Elsewhere in the world, Ryu, who so happens to be walking past a store with television sets in the window airing the Sakura Show, sees Sagat and hears him issue the challenge. Adjusting the massive bag he has hoisted over his shoulders, he listens intently to Sagat's challenge, then heads off, walking away from the store.**
Back in the studio, Sagat and Sakura were ready to resume their interview.
Sakura: Intense, isn't he folks? One might wonder how that'd translate into "other" things.
As she said this, she sported a rather cheeky look, and, once Sagat realized just what she was implying, again, he smirked.
Sagat: Well, Miss Kasugano, I'll simply say that inside or outside of the fighting world, I'm STILL the King. Tiger Shots can be given in more ways than one, after all.
Sakura: Oh, my...*blush*
Some of the members of the crowd laughed at this, while others engaged in wooing noises, egging the one-eyed fighter's ego on, causing him to stand and raise his arms for a moment, doing his trademark victorious laugh, getting some cheers from the fans in the crowd before taking his seat once more.
Obviously caught off guard, Sakura, for her part, giggled as she tried to keep hold of the tinge of red that was creeping into her cheeks at his answer, instead setting herself to proceeding as planned with the interview. However, as Sakura filed through her cards once more, she found that she had come to her last question for the Muay Thai giant. Putting the rest of her cards down, she took a moment to read the question from the card before glancing towards him. Clearing her throat, she spoke, running a hand through her hair nervously.
Sakura: *ahem* Our final question for you, Mr. Sagat...is as follows. There have been various comments made in regards to Street Fighter IV's gameplay, but none as striking as some that come from fans that dwell in the community itself. Noticeably, some of the people that attend the site have been quoted as saying that they don't play Street Fighter IV--they play "Sagat", or "Sagat Fighter IV." What are your thoughts on this?
Sagat places a hand on his chin momentarily, again, as though he's in deep contemplation over the question he's just been posed. After taking a moment and rubbing his throat, his eyebrows raised for but a moment, a deep utterance of "Wow.", escaping him, showing that this actually surprised and confused him somewhat.
Sagat: Well, that's rather interesting. I would say that I'm flattered, but...(A cocky smirk between his words)...the fact that they would lets me know that they are well aware that there is no question that I am the best, bar none, so really, they're just stating the obvious, telling us things we already should know. Still, it's always nice to know that there are fans of my...handiwork. If there *are* any non-believers out there, Tiger Shots, Knees, Uppercuts, and even Genocides can be freely distributed. Yes, freely.
A low laugh comes from the monstrous man as he stands once more, facing the camera straight on.
Sagat: You see, I am a gracious King who gives back to his people.
Though she was amused, Sakura, being a competitor herself, found that she was growing somewhat weary of the Muay Thai master's nearly overbearing egotisitcal streak as she set her cards down flat on the table, looking at Sagat, then towards the crowd.
Sakura: Mm-hmm...well, ladies and gents, this was Sagat, the king of Muay Thai and fellow competitior in many Street Fighter tournaments.
She turns to face him as she stands and he does the same, following her lead, the man's height easily allowing him to tower over pretty much everyone in the building, though it was most noticeable to Sakura, who moved from behind her desk to stand in front of him, extending her hand politely, which he accepted and shook briefly, the both of them sharing a slight grin, mostly out of mutual respect for one another as fighters than anything else.
Sakura: Again, thank you for being so willing to take the time appear on the Sakura Show.
Sagat: Thank *you* for having me.
Sakura: Sagat, everybody! Give it up for the man!
With this, Sagat raises his arms, getting another cheer from the crowd before he began to walk off stage, his personal theme playing, leading him off as Sakura stood center stage, her hands clasped together as she faced the crowd.
Sakura: Well...that was certainly...interesting, wouldn't you all say?
The crowd responds with a resounding yes, which got a nod from Sakura, who, in the back of her mind, indeed thanked the man. Things went well enough that she felt that her ratings were progressing steadily. She could only hope that her hunch was right.
Sakura: (cheerily) So, how about we welcome our next guest everyone?
The crowd responds with an enthusiastic cheer, to which she responded by reaching into her glove and pulling out another small stack of cards reserved for her next guest. As she read just who it would be, she groaned a bit inwardly, the thought "Why did it have to be him...?" hitting her before she shrugged. "Oh well...on with the show.", her thoughts went on before she began to address the crowd again.
Sakura: And now, for our next guest....
Well, here's hoping anyone who reads this likes it thus far. This was something that my brother Kaishinn and I thought of on the fly one night, and we just sorta decided to run with it. Expect updates soon. :3